


Truce Signed in Paw Print

by Witchtomez



Series: Mysme Halloweek 2018 [11]
Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Kinda smushing details from Jaehee's route and Jumin's route, Mysmehalloweek 2018, Reconciliation, Set in Jaehee's Good Ending, prompt: Halloween Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-08-28 13:58:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16724724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Witchtomez/pseuds/Witchtomez
Summary: Jumin wasn't a man who liked owing debt in any sense of the word.





	Truce Signed in Paw Print

Though Jumin Han often enjoyed the quiet space of time while being driven from one destination to another, he couldn’t seem to overcome the feeling of unease as he sat in the back seat with his beloved Elizabeth the 3rd—and her presence could generally soothe any uncomfortable situation.

But today’s destination was different: Today he would be meeting with former Assistant Kang at her café.

To be more precise: Jumin Han was actually _escorting his cat_ to his ex-employee’s café.

For the CEO-in-line, there were fewer things Jumin appreciated than unexpected situations. There was a sense of vulnerability he had never been fond of—however; Jumin Han was also not one to avoid paying on his debts.

While he had been the one to fire Jaehee Kang for botching the key point of the presentation he’d assigned to her, she had still taken it upon herself to collaborate further with Luciel and provide him with enough evidence to foil the plot aimed at him and his father for the family fortune.

This left him in an uncomfortable position of debt specifically to someone he had dismissed out of anger…but not once had his former assistant asked for an apology or even gratitude for the work she had done to secure his personal freedom. They had simply remained on respectfully neutral terms whilst going their separate paths.

Well—about as separate as they could be while both still serving in the same association.

It had been a strange discovery as he had initially hired Jaehee for her calm, professional demeanor. As a result, many people assumed her to be cold and robotic almost as much as they assumed him to be; upon departing from C&R, Jumin noted how the rest of the RFA seemed to rally around her and offer support though she merely insisted she was perfectly fine and grateful for the encouragement.

Now that she was about a year into her solo business endeavor, her sense of professionalism hadn’t exactly changed—rather it had evolved to allow a sense of comfortable freedom and enthusiasm that she was generous in sharing with the rest of the RFA, himself included. If there were any feelings of resentment toward him, Jaehee Kang hid it considerably well.

Certainly well enough to ask a favor of him—or rather, his beloved Elizabeth. Which led to this point: sitting in the back of his chauffeured ride while contemplating what she could possibly want with his cherished pet when she had been so reluctant to deal with her while in his employ.

The vehicle slowed to a very smooth stop— _ah._

“Mr. Han, if you and Miss Elizabeth are prepared, we have arrived. “

Setting Elizabeth in her plush carrier, Jumin nodded.

“Thank you, Driver Kim. We are ready.”

* * *

Stepping into the café, Jumin surveyed the dining area, finding it adequately clean and comfortable if a bit childishly decorated for Halloween; there was a curious section that had not been there before, a brightly lit room partitioned by a wall of glass where the counter seats were arranged. In it contained curious shelves covered in carpet, set on the far wall leading towards an imitation tree that had hollowed out compartments lined with softly cushioned material.

There was the jingling of the little bell on Elizabeth’s collar before she began to chatter delicately. Not accustomed to hearing the enchanting sound, Jumin nearly swooned until—

“Ah, Mr. Han, you should have told me you had arrived so I could greet you. Thank you for bringing Elizabeth,” Jaehee smiled, setting down a fresh tray of baked goods before making her way over. Another face popped out from behind the kitchen divider: the current RFA coordinator and Jaehee’s partner. Seeing Jumin, she gave a small wave and a smile which he returned with a polite nod.   
  


“Jaehee, I’ll start roasting the next batch before setting up the rest of the decorations, ok?”

Turning back, Jaehee nodded smiling with a flush of color to her cheeks.

“That would be perfect, thank you—,’ then turning back to him, ‘Mr. Han, if you would please bring Elizabeth this way?”

They began to approach the glass room and Elizabeth began to chatter again. Jumin raised an eyebrow but contained his smile.

“Assis—excuse me, Miss Kang. Why did you request the presence of my Elizabeth today?”—Damn, old habits were annoying to break. Thankfully, Jaehee still had the courtesy not to address his mistake.

“Ah, yes, I should explain: an animal rescue group approached me about a month ago, wanting to try the idea of merging a café with an adoption event with the promise that they would be completely responsible for maintaining the pets while on-site. We went ahead and had this room constructed to provide space while still maintaining a good barrier for my allergic customers. “

As expected of his former assistant, she made a reasonable case for this collaborative effort while still considering the needs of all parties; he cast an appraising eye over the room, spotting calming pheromone plugs and storage drawers stuffed with toys stashed beneath a table top adorned with planters full of cat grass. Still, this was all surprising to him.

“Mr. Han, it’s all right to let Elizabeth out here. I would like her opinion of this room,” Jaehee gently prompted, smiling down at the cat carrier. White paws were already poking through the gate, trying to tap at the lock. Jumin smiled, setting down the container and releasing his cherished pet.

Placing one elegant paw before her, Elizabeth took a curious step out before sniffing the air. With an inquisitive glance at both humans in the room, she sniffed at the hem of Jaehee’s skirt and began to wave her tail in recognition—then she was off, hopping along the trunk of the disguised cat tower. Watching her go, initially he grew worried but gradually enamored with her obvious fascination with the setup.

Still, Jumin could not help but feel a sense of awkwardness given the situation.

“…I was under the impression that you did not care for animals, but it seems you went to great lengths to be accommodating…Miss Kang.”

She laughed softly, thoughtfully humming before giving her response.

“Hm…it’s not so much that I do not care for animals as much as I just don’t have the energy to continuously clean up after them and myself,’ Jaehee explained easily, ’however, I do believe that every living creature deserves a chance to find a place to belong.”

Jumin blinked slowly, understanding her feelings on the matter immediately as he recalled her background. They took a few more steps through the room as Elizabeth jumped to the wall shelves and investigated the built in cubby holes. Still smiling, Jaehee pulled out one of the catnip toys stashed in one of the hidden containers and tossed it next to the bundle of snow white fur.

“After some research with my partner, we found that many adoptions are decided when they can view the animal in a comfortable setting. With that in mind, I drew on my experiences with Elizabeth and decided to design this room based on her play habits when you would leave her with me.”

A chuckle escaped him before he realized it, but Jumin was surprisingly unbothered.

“A wise decision, as we’re both well aware of my Elizabeth’s impeccable standards.”

There was a quiet moment before he spoke again.

“I see you’ve decorated the rest of your establishment suitably for the festivities.”

Glancing down, he saw the telltale fidgeting of her fingers: she was nervous now.

“Ah…yes. I was hoping to hold a small Halloween party…and if you had the time, I thought I would extend the invitation while you were here. “

He straightened again, unused to being caught off guard so much in one sitting.

“Why did you not just create an invitation through the RFA messenger?”

Her fingers tugged at the ties of her apron some more before she answered.

“I did…but when you didn’t respond last week, I thought you may have been too busy to see it. Nonetheless, I would be pleased to have you join us tomorrow night, if your schedule permits?”

He did not answer immediately, choosing instead to readjust his cuff links. When there was nothing left to re-align, Jumin cast his eyes back up to roam the cat sanctuary until they found Elizabeth happily settled into one of the soft beds inside a high wall cubby; full loaf position, slowly closing her sapphire eyes indicating her high approval.

 _‘As you say, my lady. Former Assistant Kang has done very well,’_ Jumin agreed silently, nodding gently.

“I believe that can be arranged. For now, I would like to inquire more on the rescue group that has approached you. Since you allowed this collaboration, I am certain you researched them thoroughly—I would like to see where C&R may be able to lend support…”

His response had clearly exceeded her expectations judging by the light of surprise in her eyes.

“Mr. Han..!”

Letting out a small breath, he held his hand up to interject.

“Please, Miss Kang. You are no longer my subordinate and we are both members of the RFA: Jumin will do.”

Jaehee was a bit slow to recollect herself, but she closed her eyes and let the smile bloom as she released a sigh of relief. She offered her hand, raising her eyes to meet his fully.

“Very well; then I shall be Jaehee to you in kind. Now before we discuss your proposal, let’s return to the café area and allow Elizabeth a proper nap.”

* * *

“Zen-hyung, are you going to be ok at the party? Jumin cleared his schedule to show up, and I’m pretty sure Elizabeth will be there too…”

Zen covered his nose with a short sniffle and met Yoosung’s worried stare with a wave of dismissal.

“Of course I’ll be ok—I don’t care if a hundred—AH CHOO—c-cats are there; I won’t just abandon Jaehee at her party while Trustfund jerk shows up to sulk and intimidate her.” Yoosung stuck an extra pack of tissues into his pockets but smiled reassuringly.

“I don’t think it’ll be like that this time, hyung. I visited the café last night to see if I could help Jaehee with decorating, but it looked like she was having a deep conversation with Jumin while going over some reports.”

Zen raised an eyebrow in consideration, wondering if there was a possibility of bullying there but…Jaehee was definitely tough enough to handle herself, especially now that she had sought her own dream. Still, he was mistrustful that the pompous CEO-in-line would give her due respect and picked up the pace of his strides as they made their way to the café…after a quick stop at the drug store for allergy medications.

* * *

When the pair did arrive, they were surprised to see how much more elaborate the decorations and lighting had become. Upon entering the doors, Yoosung and Zen spotted an additional section attached to the glass partition that was somehow already near _completion._

“Jumin-hyung!” Yoosung called out, spotting his current employer who had arrived fully decked out in exquisitely designed noble vampire garb. Somehow the presence of the cape and false fangs did not detract from his authoritative image as he overlooked completed work orders to sign on from the maintenance crew.

“Ah, Yoosung—Zen. Excellent timing, you should be most useful here.”

Zen was already bristling but Yoosung laid a calming hand on his arm.

“What are you talking about, Mr. CEO? Where’s Jaehee?”

“I believe she’s finishing up on a cake, but she may need assistance with clean up—Yoosung, would you please check on her status?” Yoosung nodded emphatically, tucking the loose strands of his mummy bandages safely before heading behind the counter. Zen watched him go before eyeing Jumin warily.

“And me?” he asked, wanting to know what trick would be played on him. Jumin simply gestured to the additional room.

“I’m certain you’re aware of the collaboration project that was made with the animal rescue group. Jaehee did exceptionally well in researching and developing the plans to provide for both her customer base and the animals—there was a concern, however, about the lack of budget present to ensure complete hypoallergenic safety for her more sensitive patrons: that’s where you come in.”

They entered the adjoining room to the animal haven; Zen noted the cleanliness of the air and the large shoe compartments that lined the walls. He looked around in confusion before he put a hand on the door handle, only to be halted by Jumin.

“That’s probably far enough; tell me, how well are you breathing in this room?”

Zen tilted his head, uncertain of the question.

“I’m fine—what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I be?”

Jumin responded by gesturing his hand to the white bundle sitting atop the cat tree merely 2 meters away; deep blue eyes surveyed them with interest before Elizabeth made her way down toward the entrance. Instinctively, Zen jumped back, covering his nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

“Oi, Jumin Han, what the hell!” The CEO-to-be rolled his eyes dully at the snipe.

“Relax—you just said you were fine. Close your eyes if you must, but it’s important to the café that you calm down and tell me if the newly installed air purifiers are doing their job. “

Zen wanted to say more but swallowed his displeasure and reluctantly closed his eyes; taking gentle breaths initially, he gradually allowed for deeper inhalation as his comfort level permitted. After a few moments, Zen opened his eyes in surprise: he was completely fine. Elizabeth the 3rd was now only separated from them by a few centimeters of glass and he was somehow _not dying_. Zen tapped the glass gently and was astonished to find he was now staring the spoiled cat directly in her face without a filter of blurry tears and swollen, puffy eyes.

Begrudgingly, Zen turned to find the heir smiling in subtle satisfaction; his instincts told him to snap and insist the rich kid wipe the smug look off his face, but…he had actually come through for Jaehee’s sake.

“…Ok, fine. Not bad, Trustfund. This should make things a lot easier for Jaehee at least.”

“Agreed; if this venture proves successful, I’ve already assigned an investigative report in deducing the potential assets versus liabilities of acquiring the building next door to restructure into a veterinary clinic.”

There was a quiet moment as Zen eyed the man in surprise.

“What’s suddenly made you so helpful after all this time?”

The question was biting, irritating Jumin but—he could no longer deny his own stubbornness had kept him more distant than necessary. Letting out his agitation in a sigh, he crossed his arms and shifted his weight.

“Miss Kang was always an exceptional employee…it didn’t occur to me that it mattered she was additionally an exceptional person. I am…not used to owing debt to anyone, either in financial or personal matters…”

Zen quirked an eyebrow, unsure of his meaning. Pulling off a white glove, Jumin held up his left hand.

“You notice I didn’t come here tonight with an actual blood-sucking creature stuck to my side, yes?”

With a spark of realization, Zen’s hand flew to his forehead.

“Oh god, now I remember…geez…”

“How fortunate you were able to forget…” Jumin answered coolly. Feeling a rare twinge of sympathy for the man, Zen nodded his apology.

“Yeah, I get it…still; it’s good you came around finally.”

There was a tap on the door behind them; both men re-entered the café to see Yoosung beckoning them over to the large display table, laden with appropriately designed confectioneries and various teas and coffees of varying color. Jaehee straightened a few displays before leaning back with contentment, relishing in the congratulatory hugs from each present member, blushing from the applause. When it came to Jumin, he merely extended his hand and raised his glass.

“Congratulations, Jaehee. You have done an exemplary job as ever; I’m eager to see the results of this partnership.”

Gathering a cup in her hand with a confident smile, she raised it and tapped it gently against his own glass.

“As am I, Jumin. Thank you for your trust.”

Yoosung began to clap excitedly, overjoyed at the reconciliation between the group members. The others soon joined in until the peace was interrupted by the loud screeching of tires against asphalt. With a look of apprehension, Jaehee dug around in her pockets and extracted a key.

“Please distract Luciel; I’ll secure the room for Elizabeth.”

Jumin hastily put down his glass and patted her on the shoulder appreciatively as he passed, corralling the other members towards the café entrance.

“Understood, let’s move to the front to greet him.”


End file.
